Picky bugger

I firmly believe that the human race (well, at least the bits of it I get to see on a regular basis) is evolving into grumpiness.  Don't agree with me?  Try buying concert tickets.

This came to mind last week when the opportunity to see my favourite current band came up.  Who they are is not important, although the title of this post is a bit of a clue.  I've never seen them live before, so I was a tad excited at the prospect.

I remembered how it was when I bought concert tickets in the past.  You would be full of anticipation as the band or artist announced their tour, then you would wait for the tickets to go on sale.  Before the Internet it was telephone purchase or personal visit only.  Stress did not really enter the equation.

These days, however, the advent of technology makes it possible for music fans to sit in their underpants in front of their computer, pressing F5 repeatedly like a laboratory rat as the allotted time passes.

I should point out that I was away from work last week.  I was not sitting at my desk in my underpants. Not that the image I've just presented to you is any less trauma-inducing, I guess, regardless of location.  Remember to thank me later.

So we're now programmed to accept that we have to get our tickets within the first few nanoseconds after they go on sale.  Otherwise, those gits - you know the ones, they're not real fans, they only know the singles, I bet they don't even know any songs off the first album - they'll be in front of you.  Buying your ticket.  Sitting where you should be sitting.

And so it becomes self-fulfilling.  Buying concert tickets is now a stress-fest, a competitive sport.  Which is why you're pressing the refresh button in your underwear.

Second inappropriate image in one post.  Sometimes this stuff just writes itself.

But it goes beyond the mere purchase.  I looked at a few fan forums and Facebook pages for the band in question as they announced their tour, and these were pretty much the main themes:

• They're not coming to my town.
• They're coming to my town, but not to the venue I like.
• They've got too popular.  How dare they play at bigger venues?
• I'll never be able to get tickets.
• Grumble
• Moan
• Whinge
• Me
• Me
• Me

Some people just like to suck the joy out of everything.  Luckily, I can release the inner eight-year-old at a moment's notice.  When I got my tickets last week I was hopping around the room in a state of high excitement.  Admittedly, I was in my underpants.

Sorry, I've done it again, haven't I?